Outhouse World Championships in Virginia City, NV

Those aren't port-o-potties racing through the middle of Virginia City, Nevada, no those are hand-crafted, aerodynamic outhouses, with colorful characters sitting within on the 'throne'. This annual event marks a momentous political movement in Virginia City, when townspeople marched on city hall with their outhouses to protest new ordinances that outlawed outdoor toilets. With the cruel civilizing sterility of indoor toilets now the norm, hundreds of people throng the streets in nostalgic reverence to the art and beauty of the old time pit houses.

The races are comprised of head to head (please tell me you got that) two team heats. Each team consists of a 'sitter' and two runners, pushers, draggers, whatever it takes to move the outhouse down the road 100 feet in the least amount of time possible. These exhausting heats require a great deal of recovery, and so the racing is intermittent, allowing visitors to enjoy the other sights in this quaint historic town.

Virginia City is a silver rush town, home of the storied Comstock Lode. It was a booming millionaire-rich city in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Today it has a great western feel, with wooden boardwalks and terrific saloons with colorful names like the Bucket of Blood and Red Dog. There are also stagecoach rides, a trolley, and for those willing to travel a bit further afield, there is the Virginia and Truckee railroad.

In between the heats, you can stroll the boardwalk, belly up to a bar, walk through a mining museum, or chat with the racers. They are often corralled together on a side street drinking beer and loitering on their 'seats'. This is hard work, and clearly the training regimen is daunting. Their outhouses are works of art and they rightly like to boast about their designs. The costumes match the theme of the racers, which have boasted such names as, "The Party Poopers", "The Urinator", and "The Flapper Crappers". Everyone is having a blast and will eagerly share their stories, often whilst sitting on the 'can'.

This is not a betting event, this is a cheering, whooping, boot stamping event. The enthusiasm on the street is contagious, and the races are a wonderful addition to a terrific day. Make sure to get up bright an early, as the races start right after the parade at noon, and continue on until five.

And if you are so inspired, maybe you can rope in two friends, pony up the $50 entry fee and head to Virginia City for your chance to earn the coveted title of World Championship Outhouse racer.